Oil removal apparatus



Patented Sept. 9, 1952 OIL` REMOVAL APPARATUS "Warren G. Millar, Springeld, Ill., assignor to `Filtaire Products, Inc., Springfield, Ill., a corpo- 4ration of Illinois y Application June 15, 1951, Serial No. 231,878

This invention relates to oilremoval apparatus, and particularly to `apparatus especially adaptable for' draining oil from, the crankoases of internal combustion engines andthe like.

Broadly, the presentV invention contemplates the provision of apparatus .ffor removal of oil from the crankcases of internal combustion engines without the necessity of an operator reaching or crawlingfunder the crankcase to remove the screw plug orjopen a Valve such as is customarily provided at the bottom thereof, or, in lieu of crawling under the crankcase, to drive the vehicle to a service station where the vehicle may be elevated, or driven over an open pit, to provide accessibility to the drain plug.

Specifically, the invention has as one of its objects the provision of means especially adaptable for actually forcing the oil from the crankcase, as distinguished from letting the oil drain from the crankcase by gravity flow.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of"means for utilizing the suction developed in the carburetor or intake manifold of an internal4 combustion engine, whereby, upon operation of said engine, oil will be removed from its crankcase. l i i 1 `Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of means for removing oil from an engine crankcase upon operation of said engine, and further characterized by the provi- ,'-f

Sion of means for interrupting operation of the engine when the oil is all, or substantially all, removed from the crankcase.

Further `objects and advantages Vof the invention will in part be obvious and in part will hereinafter appear, and they reside generally inthe features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplined in the construction to be described, and of which the scope of application will be cated in the appended claims. l i

In thedrawing in which is shown the ypreferred illustrative embodiment of the invention: Figure l isa diagrammatic view showing in transverse Vertical section a View through an internal combustion engine crankcase with the oil so much of the component parts of V-an internal j indil l 2` combustion engine is shown as is necessary `to an understanding of the` present invention..v They comprise, essentially, the engine crankcase I, the distributor 2, the high tension coil 3 andthe intake manifold 4. I

It is contemplated utilizing the suction `created in the carburetor or intake manifold of the engine to accelerate and facilitateremoval of `oil from the crankcase thereof. To that end, the oil test rod 5 is removed from the opening 6, and a tube 'I of metal or` plastic substituted therefor. One end of tube 'I rests on or is closely disposed adjacent the bottom of crankcase I, while the other end of the tube is connected to one end of a flexible conduit 8. The other end of conduit 8 connects with an inlet fitting 9 of a diaphragm chamber I 0. Adjacent its lower end, chamber I8 has an outlet Afitting. II communieating with a pipe I2, intermediate the ends of the latter. One end ofpipe I2 also communicates with the upper end of chamber I0, while the other end of` pipe I2 communicateswith a sealed receptacle I3, thepipe being removably extended intothe receptacle through` the cover I4 ofthe latter with an air tight fit. Cover I4 also has a short length of pipe I5 sealed thereto, one end of the pipe extending into receptacle I3 and the other end of the pipe being secured to and communicating with one end of a` flexible conduit I6. The other end of the conduit IB may suitably be connected with the carburetor or intake manifold. For example, the windshield `wiper tube may be removed from the vacuum line and the conduit I6 connected in its place.

\ From the foregoing, it will beapparent that chamber I0 may be omitted and the conduit connected directly to cover I4 of receptacle I3. Thus,V a circuit may be traced from crankcase I through tube "I, conduit B, receptacle I3, pipe I5 and conduit I6 to the intake' manifold 4. Starting of the engine and running it ata slow or idling vspeed will create a vacuumin receptacle IS, whereupon atmospheric` pressure in crankcase I will force the oil through tube I and conduit 8 into receptacle I3, thereby removing the Oil from crankcase I and depositing it in receptaclel3. Whenyconduit 8 is connected directly to receptacle I3, tube 'I is preferably closedat its lower end and provided with an opening I'I spaced slightly upwardly from that ,end of the tube to insure that suicient oilwill remain in the oil pan so that at no time willv the oilpump be starved and run dry, or `fail to show pressure. v If desired, a valve 35 ofan-ylknown orA preferred construetion may be incorporated` in conduit I6.

crankcase oilin the manner just described, it is contemplated employing means to automatically interrupt operation of the engine when the oil is all or substantially all, removed from the crankcase. Hence, it is preferred to employ the diaphragm chamber lil as previously described. It

will be noted that the chamber I3 is permanently closed at Vthe end containing the inlet fitting 9, while the opposite end is provided with an outwardly extending peripheral flange Il. A ilexible diaphragm IB of any suitable or preferred material seats on the outer surface of ila-nge Il and is confined therebetween and an annular ring I3, the'latter being secured to ange I7 as by the nuts and bolts `ild-r-El. Centrally, diaphragm I8 'has a disk 22, preferably of plastic, suitably secured thereto. Such disk has a central depending finger'23 adaptedfor operating a switch arm 24 carried by a switch 25. Downward exure of diaphragm will, therefore, -move arm 24 into engagement with contact 23 to close the circuit through switch 25. The switch may be mounted on chamber lli in any suitable or preferred manner and lhas a terminal 2l for connection of a conductor 23, and a terminal 29 for connection of a conductor y33.

In operation of the system employing chamber IG land switch 25, the tube l is likewise inserted into the crankcase I through opening and the conduit lconnected with the intake manifold. `The conductor 3l) normally connected between the distributor 2 and coil 3 is disconnected at the coil 3 and plugged into terminal 23. The high tension wire 28 which is connected to switch at terminal 2l is then' plugged into coil 3 where' conductor 33 was removed, or vice versa. An electrical circuit may then be traced from distributor 2 through conductor 33 to terminal 29 and contact 216, and thence through switch arm 24, terminal 21 and conductor 23 to coil 3. It will thus be apparent that the switch 25 is positioned in the secondary circuit of the coil for interruption of current fiow therethrough. Alternatively, Ythe switch may, if desired, be includedin the primary circuit of the coil 3 for the same purpose. In that case, referring to Figure 3, conductor 3l! retains its normal connection between coil 3-and distributor 2. Primary lead of coil 3 is detached from the terminal 31 on vdistributor 2, and connected to the terminal 29' of switch 25. Lead 28 connected to terminal 2 of switch 251s then connected-to terminal 3l on distributor 2. Switch 25 is thus included' inthe primary circuit between coil 3V circuit willY be established between distributor 2 and coil 3 and the engine may be started to evacuate air from receptacle i3, whereby to removefthe oil from crankcase I. As soon as sufricient oil has collected in chambervl, the weight Y thereof will move diaphragm I8 downwardly and operate to hold arm 24 and contact 2li closed. It will 0f course be obvious that the oil being removed from crankcase I passes through tube 4 Y Y 7, conduit 8 into'chamber I0, and thence from chamber IU into receptacle I3 through the medium of outlet Il and pipe l2. In order that oil will not be forced into the engine if receptacle becomes full, a float 3| is disposed in receptacle I3 and carried on one end of a rod 32. extends into pipe l5 and, at the end opposite oat 3|, is provided with a hook` 33, which is adapted toV engage over a pin 34 driven transversely through pipe I5 to limit downward movement of float 3l. When all, or substantially all,

of the oil is removed from crankc'ase I, the lessening weight of oil inchamber ID will permit diaphragm -IS to return to its normal unrlexed position, thereby to open switch 25 and break the that outflow of oil fromV chamber I0 is such that only the necessary weight of oil to keep arms 2li and contact 26 closed will normally be in said chamber during a drainage operation. Y

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described by way of example, 4it will be obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention and, therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the precise forms, or Vthe precise use, herein described, execpt insofar as itA may -so be limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for removing oil from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine having an oil test opening in the crankcase; an intake manifold, a high tension'coiland a distributor, the combination of a tube for insertion in the cil test opening and intothe oil in the crankcase, a diaphragm chamber. a first conduit con-1 necting said tube with said diaphragm chamber, a sealed receptacle, a` pipe connecting said phragm chamber with said sealed receptacle, a second conduit connecting said sealed receptacle with the intake manifold, whereby upon opera- Y operable by said-diaphragm chamber to intertially all the oil is removed from said crankcase.

A2. Oil removal apparatus as dened in claim l wherein the means for interrupting operation of the engine'includes an electrical switch connected in the primary circuit of the high tension coil. Y

3. Oil removal apparatus as definedV in claim l wherein the means for interrupting operation of the Vengine includes an electrical switch connected in the secondary circuit of the high tension coil.

4. Oil removal apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for interrupting operation of the engine comprises an electrical switch having a pair of terminals one'connected to the distributor and the other lto the high tension coil, and means onsaid diaphragm chamber for operating f said switch toV maintain closed the circuit between said coil and distributor by the weight of the oil in the diaphragm chamber, and to open said circuitby the lessening weight of the oil in saidV diaphragm chamber when the oil is substantially all removed from said crankcase.

5. In apparatus for removing oil from the crankcase of 'an internal combustion engine hav- Rod 32 ing an oil test opening in the crankcase, an intake manifold, a high tension coil and a distributor, the combination of a tube for insertion in the oil test opening and into the oil in the crankcase, a diaphragm chamber, a rst conduit connecting said tube with said diaphragm chamber', a sealed receptacle, a pipe connecting said diaphragm chamber with said sealed receptacle, a second conduit connecting said sealed receptacle with the intakev manifold, whereby upon operation `of said engine a vacuum will be created in said sealed receptacle thereby to force oil from the crankcase through said diaphragm chamber into said sealed receptacle, an electrical switch including a switch larm and Contact connected between said distributor and high tension coil, a flexible diaphragm carried by said diaphragm chamber, and a depending ringer on said flexible diaphragm operable to engage said switch arm upon flexure of said diaphragm by the weight of the oil thereon to mov-e the switch arm into engagement with said contact.

6. In apparatus for removing oil from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine having an oil test opening in the crankcase, an intake manifold, a high tension coil and a distributor, the combination of a tube for insertion in the oil test opening and into the oil in the crankcase, a diaphragm chamber, a first conduit connecting said tube with said diaphragm chamber, a sealed receptacle, a pipe connecting said diaphragm chamber with said sealed receptacle, a second conduit connecting said sealed receptacle with the intake manifold, whereby upon. operation of said engine a vacuum will be created in said sealed receptacle thereby to force oil from the crankcase through said diaphragm chamber into said sealed receptacle, means connected between said distributor and high tension coil and operable by said diaphragm chamber to interrupt the operation of said engine when substantially all the oil is removed from said crankcase, and a float disposed in said sealed receptacle operable to close the second conduit when the sealed receptacle becomes full of oil.

WARREN G. MILLAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,955,169 Bertschinger Apr. 17, 1934 2,105,761 Wood Jan. 13, 1938 2,153,878 Wood Apr. 11, 1939 

